I bought this guitar new on my fifteenth' birthday back in 1991 to replace a cheap Telecaster copy with an Yngwie Malmsteen approved scalloped neck, the damn thing just wouldn't stay in tune. I knew I wanted a strat and I had saved up enough money to buy myself a Squier, the shop from which I bought it carried Squiers in Black and in white, only one example came in red and I bought it. This particullar shade of Red was apparently a rare color for squier because I haven't seen another one since. The Squier became my main guitar as I started gigging with it almost the day after I got it.

Later as I entered my final teen years and passed the 20 mark in age I began to experiment with the guitar, it became all covered up in stickers and I eventually began replacing the stock single coils for something more powerful, putting in several Humbuckers in the bridge position before settling on a Dimarzio DLX soapbar pickup, leaving the empty holes where the neck and middle pickup sat vacant. And I replaced the original neck (I never really liked the profile of that neck anyway) with a Telecaster neck and to keep the sweetheart in tune I installed a Kahler vibrato. In that guise "The Veteran" survived for many years.

But wear and tear began to rear their ugly heads and it became apparent that the old faithful was ready to retire. So I brought her back to strat hood by installing a 1985 Squier Strat neck, replacing the Dimarzio with a single coil and wiring it all up like a Strat is supposed to be wired. I did keep the Kahler vibrato, loving the smooth way it worked and the way it kept my guitar in tune.

But "The Rookie" didn't replace "The Veteran" as my main guitar as I intended it to do, my red Epiphone Les Paul did that.

Just today, I came home and I noticed that "The veteran" was missing from the stand, suspecting my younger brother (Who also is my next door neighbour) who owns a key to my appartment, knew more of it, I decided to check things out ant his place, and sure enough, there it was. Before I walked out with "The Veteran" I told him:

"Look, if you want to borrow a guitar please ask me first and second, you can borrow any guitar you want from me EXCEPT the red one, NOBODY but me touches that guitar, understood?"

My most cherished instrument has to be a 1965 Martin D-35 that was my grandmothers. When she died in 1969 (age 49)she left it to my mother. My mother left it to me in 1994 when she passed away (age 54). They where both full time musicians as was my father.

After learning to play bass at the age of 16 (1975) on a rented Teisco Del Rey, I decided it was time for a real bass guitar. The very first ad I saw in the local free classified was for a Fender Jazz bass. I knew Fender was a good name, but what was with the Jazz part, I played rock and roll. Anyway, it looked cool, sunburst, and it was within my busboy/dishwasher budget, $220, so I bought it. The previous owner's girlfriend had made him a wide leather strap, which I still use, and it had the original case, which I still have. For 29 years it was my one and only bass. It saw me through performance art noodlings in empty lots in the mission district of S.F. Through punk rock fiascos in Marin county, and most importantly, it was my instrument in Bizarre Crimes, my college band in Santa Cruz from 78 -80. I fell in love with the lead singer, who, if you closed your eyes, could convince you that Janis Joplin was in the room..... get it while you can.............. Next May we will celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary. Though I love them both dearly, the Jazz bass and my wife, there is no contest, the sex is much better with my wife.

My '83 Spoiler Koa, one of the best basses I've had in my hands! For years my favorite has been the '87 Spoiler, but the '83 playes lighter and sounds a bit brighter. It has a superb setup, has some tear and wear, but it's definately the one! '83 Spoiler Koa,click here

Please check my site for more pics: WWW.FCBASS.TK (this is a link without the .TK popups)

Picking a number one favorite isn't easy for me. As far as basses go, it would have to be my Alembics. Sometimes I'm connecting more with my Epic 5 Bubinga. Sometimes it's my Epic 4 Flame Maple. If we're talking about musical instruments in general, my favorite would be the quilted-maple-back violin that my father-in-law made in 1971. It was the one that I enjoyed playing the most and was the first of his violins that he gave me. Rich

My '67 Starfire. I'll get some pictures together. And if you want to see the real love of my life, get a November Oprah magazine and turn to page 168. Together for 16 years! It's also pretty cool to have a photo credit that goes world wide, although I didn't think it was the best picture.

I love my Alembics past and present but I have to admit I don't have a life long ... this is the one ... the love of my life bass. For me it's the high quality instrument I have in my hands right now. This MONTH it's My Alembic Stanley Clark Standard, of my Modulus Quantum 5 string fretless, and even my cheap roudy bar $800 Yamaha bolt on neck bass. I guess i look it at like women ... if you're not married and you're lucky enough to have many ... love them all! :-)

811952, the Series 1.5 cocobolo 4-string long scale point. It is my favorite sounding instrument, although the Lakland is easier to play for hours on end. I have loaned 811952 to a handful of people over the years, and will probably continue to do so. If the sound is more important than the weight to another player, then I am compelled to put the Alembic in their hands and watch them smile. I don't let just anybody touch that bass though...

Good call Blazer. I have an early 70's Guild DM-25 that I bought from a old friend in high school. I took it to a shop when I got it and the guy told me it would be ready in about 2 weeks. 3 months later he was done with it. It'll beat your fingers down with the action and the medium strings I keep on it, but the sound is unparelled in mho. Just thinking about it makes me wanna leave work.

Check my profile and you'll see my '96 Noel Redding sig. Jazz bass. This one and my Modulus VJ were stolen from me back in Feb.'05 from a club in Akron, Ohio. It broke my heart as I had no idea just how connected I was to that bass what with all the work I had done to it to make it the killer growl machine. After watching ebay for four months I found them both from the same seller(was'nt the thief), alerted the cops and had them back in days! So it is actually this one and my '88 Spector NS-2 that I will not sell, trade or part with.

well, it looks like I always knew what I would end up with... here's a teenie proud of his Yamato neck-through, small body and neck-heavy like no other bass... mine for "only" 500 Dollars, heckufalot of money for my parents.

I don't know if there was a distributor for Alembic gear in Germany back in 1983. I knew about Stanley and Mark King in those days, but never thought I would be able to afford a bass like theirs in a lifetime.

My favorite guitar has got to be my Telecoustic. I traveled everywhere with it and learned most of the coolest songs on it. I have never been able to play as good as I did on this guitar. I remember I was in Ohio with it and I took it out of it's gig bag and people started to laugh at it. After playing Sultans of Swing they shut up. As soon as I got home from that trip, I put the bag on my shoulder and the strap broke. The top cracked and started to seperate from the body. I was so sad.

Dang, Joe, that stinks! If it's just the top separating, I'm sure you could have it fixed, though. A buddy of mine recently backed over his 1964 Gibson J45 (in a hard case) and it actually cracked the sides and the top. It's back in action now and sounds great!